The inventors of the present invention are working on the development of absorbent articles having compact and pad-like forms, for use in applications such as a replaceable absorptive member for incontinence pants or an absorptive member for reinforcing the absorbing capacity of a disposable diaper. This sort of absorbent article always has the problem of how it should be disposed after use, so a simple disposal method is desired.
As conventional techniques regarding diapers, there is a technique that enables a diaper to be disposed of by burial in the soil or the like by making the diaper from biodegradable materials (Patent Citation 1).
As conventional auxiliary absorptive members that reinforce the absorbing capacity of diapers or the like, Patent Citations 2 and 3 describe examples. For example, the absorbent article (laminated body (10)) described in Patent Citation 2 is configured by interposing an absorber (13) made of an absorbent polymer or the like between a top sheet (11) and a back side sheet (12) that have been joined to each other by thermal welding or the like (see paragraph [0013] and FIG. 2, of Patent Citation 2 for example). In the absorbent article described in Patent Citation 2, however, an accommodation space formed between the top sheet (11) and the back side sheet (12) provides the absorbent polymer with a low degree of flexibility and small space allowance at the time of swelling. This may inhibit the swelling of the absorbent polymer when excreted body fluids are absorbed, and may impair the absorption performance (absorbing capacity) of the absorbent polymer. The absorbent article further has poor handleability because, when it is inserted, a cumbersome task is necessary, such as folding the absorbent article so as to be inserted into a bag-like accommodating body (20).